By Caleb Soptelean
Staff Writer
Idaho is in the midst of its second wolf trapping season.
There were 43 wolves trapped last year in the Idaho Panhandle, said Wildlife Educator Phil Cooper of the Idaho Dept. of Fish and Game. Through Tuesday, there have been 10 trapped this season.
The season runs from Nov. 15 through March 31.
Idaho is one of only three states that allow wolf trapping, Cooper said. The others are Alaska and Montana. This is the first year for Montana, while Alaska has allowed it for many years, according to Cooper.
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission established wolf trapping and hunting when wolves became numerous, Cooper said.
Trapping a wolf is not easy, he said. “Wolves are extremely difficult to trap. In order to attempt to trap a wolf, you need to take a class.”
Classes are $8 and there are only a few left this season. The closest is in Lewiston, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 26.
Classes are required to help ensure one doesn’t trap a dog or a deer, for example.
Traps need to be boiled and not touched by hand because wolves will pick up the human scent. One must use gloves when handling a trap, Cooper said.
Completing a wolf trapping course provides lifetime certification. There was quite a demand for the classes last year, Cooper said. IDFG originally planned on having four classes with up to 30 people, but ended up having 16 classes of 30 people. They are having eight classes this year.
Idaho has allowed wolf hunting for several years. The first year was 2009. It was canceled for 2010 due to a court order, but hunts were allowed in 2011 and in the current season, Aug. 30 through March 31. One can hunt a wolf with either a firearm or a bow.
It costs $11.50 for a wolf tag for either trapping or hunting. A wolf trapping license costs $26.75 for an Idaho resident and $301.75 for a non-resident. A wolf hunting license costs $12.75 for an Idaho resident and $154.75 for an out-of-state resident.
One can get up to five wolf hunting tags per year and five wolf trapping tags per year, Cooper said.
For more information, go online to fishandgame.idaho.gov or call 208-769-1414.